Fever - by Deon Meyer

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Nico Storm and his father, Willem, drive a truck filled with essential supplies through a desolate land. They are among the few in the world, as far as they know, to have survived a devastating virus that has swept over the planet. Their lives turned upside down, Nico realizes that his superb marksmanship and cool head mean he is destined to be his father's protector, even though he is still only a boy.

Willem Storm, though not a fighter, is both a thinker and a leader, a wise and compassionate man with a vision for a new community that survivors will rebuild from the ruins. And so Amanzi is founded, drawing Storm's "homeless and tempest-tost"--starting with Melinda Swanevelder, whom they rescue from brutal thugs; Hennie Fly, with his vital Cessna plane; Beryl Fortuin and her ragtag group of orphans; and Domingo, the man with the tattooed hand, whom Nico immediately recognizes as someone you want on your side. And then Sofia Bergman arrives, the most beautiful girl Nico has ever seen, who changes everything.

So the community grows, and with each step forward, as resources increase, so do the challenges they must face--not just from the attacks of biker brigands, but also from within. Nico undergoes an extraordinary rite of passage in this brand new world, testing his loyalty to the limits. Looking back later in life, he recounts the traumatic events that led to the greatest rupture of all--the murder of the person he loves most.

Propulsively readable, Fever is a gripping epic of humanity striving for a noble vision against its basest impulses.

Review Quotes

An Indie Next Selection
An Amazon Best Book of the Month (Science Fiction and Fantasy)

"Multiple viewpoints and the non-linear nature of the passage of time disorient the reader so we become ensnared and terrified inside the unfolding drama, and sucked into this ravaged world which Meyer crafts with the precision of a master storyteller . . . Deon Meyer should be applauded for this brutal, unflinching tale of the excesses of humanity coiled like a python around a coming-of-age tale; one that makes one think deeply about the human condition as it entertains as well as warns of the dangers ahead, for our dark-side may be our undoing, as well as our salvation--for we are all feral--given the right context."--Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine

"Meyer neatly integrates a whodunit into a sophisticated postapocalyptic thriller set in South Africa . . . Meyer effectively teases his ultimate reveal. Thoughtful character development complements the clever storytelling."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A thought-provoking, postapocalyptic examination of the human condition . . . With its stunning final revelation, this is a remarkable literary achievement."--Booklist

"[A] sweeping epic about a young Afrikaner boy's survival in a post-apocalyptic South Africa . . . The book is part ecological warning, part thriller . . . part adventure saga . . and part coming-of-age story . . . Gripping moments and a haunting atmosphere."--Kirkus Reviews

"Tense, intriguing, and surprising, this thriller is a solid choice for readers who enjoy well-researched and detailed survival stories."--Karin Thogersen, Library Journal

"Reminiscent of The Stand and The Passage. Great stuff."--Stephen King

"I have been a Deon Meyer fan for some time. Fever is an interesting departure for him . . . and I loved it."--Thomas Perry

"Fever is one of the best books of the year. Deon Meyer is a masterful writer and has created a stunning epic that brims with emotion. The mystery, thrills, and action kept me riveted to every page. Highly recommended."--Adam Hamdy, author of Pendulum

"Fever bears comparison with landmarks in the genre such as The Stand . . . The novel explores humanity at its best and worst; the crushing loss of civilisation with everything that means for the structure of society . . . This great book asks us to reflect on our own hidden natures--how would we react if the world we knew came to an end tomorrow?"--Vaseem Khan, author of The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra

"Emotional and atmospheric . . . There are shades of Cormac McCarthy's superb The Road, but Fever grips even more."--Times (UK)

"Compelling, action-packed and fraught with emotion. At its heart it is a powerful exploration of humanity at its best and worst and bears favourable comparison with landmarks of the genre such as Stephen King's The Stand and Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Simply stunning."--Daily Express (UK)

"Deon Meyer should be applauded for this brutal, unflinching tale of the excesses of humanity coiled like a python around a coming-of-age tale; one that makes one think deeply about the human condition as it entertains as well as warns of the dangers ahead . . . Miss this insightful thriller at your peril, because as crime thrillers go, this is the big summer read of 2017."--Shotsmag (UK)

"Moving and gripping."--South China Morning Post

About the Author